'What was all that about? And just who is he?'
Those thoughts continuously echoed in Katrina's mind but it was needless to say she got no answer. She was lying down on her bed whilst swiping nonstop at nothing with her fingers, the repetitive gestures became faster and her expression was increasingly scowling. Whilst it was impossible to see from another person's point of view, Katrina was not crazy and those gestures she was making where not some sort of habit but she was busy perusing through her family's database for information on the new lieutenant who had taken post as the squadron leader of this year's Special Class Unit. Katrina had heard about the new person before but she had not paid any attention to him after all he only had one name and it was clearly an alias making him a military soldier not related to the noble families as they held ranks of renown and never used aliases because they wanted their accomplishments to be known which boosted the pride and dignity of the family as a whole. That was the conclusion everyone would come up with but this soldier of no repute had handily thrashed down two members of a nole clans and even called a Patriarch of a noble family by name like it was nothing. The list if pecularities did not end there, his intent manifestation had been absurdly strong for someone holding the rank of lieutenant, in all her years, she had never met anyone among her peers who could create that kind of interference not even his older brother who among their generation was among the most talented. This new squadron leader even went on to ask her of all people to be her subordinate.
It was only natural his behaviour had piqued her intrigue and it was only natural that she was scowling with displeasure because even with her level of access she could not find any valuable information on the young man named Bricksoe. This meant one of two things, first was that he was really a nobody or that he was someone way above her level of clearance.
The real reason however that had Bricksoe occupying her mind was because of what she had seen, truth be told she did not want to believe she had. Katrina had been using her Asclepius's eyes to look at Sindiso's injured body so that she could treat him and when the commotion between Bricksoe and Sindiso's sibling commenced she had turned to look without deactivating her skill, as a result what ahe saw almost caused her to shout in shock which would have been unbecoming of her as a lady and as a professional doctor. Bricksoe was closer to dead than living to an extent that calling him a walking corpse was not really wrong, he had an unimaginable injury to his soul or astral body, in fact it was severely torn that Katrina could hardly believe he could stay conscious let alone move. She was equally mystified by what could cause such an injury to a person.
***
Whilst a lady of renown in terms of beauty, wealth and power was busy thinking about the new explosive young man, the person in question was in his room sitting cross legged in a meditative posture. The room was very minimalistic not even having a bad or furniture except for the mat he was sitted on, while most people had to be in a peaceful state he was grimacing gruesomely, sweating and every now and then a pained groan would escape from his mouth. Bricksoe had been like this for hours now, this was a very painful procedure he was forcing himself to go through but alas it was a procedure that he had to go through every time otherwise he would not even be able to functio at all. If one was to concentrate they could see and feel a radiation force being sucked by his body at a rapid pace. He greeted his teeth so hard they creaked all the while forming hand signs independently with each hand. He continued like that for several more hours and his skin started to change colour, he looked like a metal that had been thrown in a furnace, he was red-hot if one was to properly describe him. After a while_____
"AAAAAARRRRRGGGGGGHHHH" a horrible sound that was somewhere between a shriek, scream and a roar escaped his mouth and a very strong force escaped from him that threatened to destroy his entire room but it soon died down then his glowing red skin started to return to normal. It was as if that horrible sound was the only way that he coud release the energy that had been gathering inside him.
Pat pat pat
Suddenly a very cool cloth started to dry his body which was drenched in sweat instantly making him feel a little bit better. Bricksoe was too tired and in pain to open his eyes but he could sense from the cold pressure caused by the person that was tenderly wiping him down who it was.
"I am ashamed you get to see me like this." He managed to force himself to sigh, he was honestly beat and embarrassed by his state at the moment.
"If not even I can get to see you in such a state who will?" Naturally comparing to the cold pressure being emanated by this person her voice was also quite cold and serious but also contained a trace of warmth and tenderness. She had been in the room since a few hours now standing there in attention without making a sound like a guard waiting on this young man.
"Why must you force yourself to go through that?" She asked her cold voice shaking and barely a whisper, she knew Bricksoe and she honestly had never seen him so vulnerable before.
"Do not cry little Lily, it would be really pitiful if I had to kill myself, this is really nothing just a minor setback." He gave her a smile or at least tried to but hus muscles where still in pain from the process he had just finished so it ended up being a grimace instead. Bricksoe slowly opened his eyes which was clearly a struggle, the room was dark as he had not switched on the light or lit any illumination gadget but even in this weakened state that was no hindrance, he could see the young lady standing before him, her blue cold eyes seemed to glow in the dark and her face was like the finest sculpture of a goddess if he where to put it mildly, she was a beauty of the rarest kind someone who looked like she jumped right out of the pages of a fairytale, her face however was stained with glistening tears which she hurriedly wiped when she realised that he had opened his eyes. Her silver hair flowed naturally down her head like liquid mercury all the way her shoulders. She also looked mature for her age. The young lady was smiling, from that statement she was happy very happy, Bricksoe had not changed at all and he remembered the promise he had made to her all those years back.
'This world is truly unkind, what has it done to you?' Seeing the beauty standing before him, Bricksoe could not help but sigh with sadness as he recalled the last time he saw this young lady and how willful she had been back then.
'Is it truly impossible for you to take good care of yourself? If it was really a minor setback would you be stuck in this school training recruits?'
She did not voice those thoughts of his as she knew that this brave front that Bricksoe was putting on was for her sake.